History of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan Part 6

10th. Ke-go kauie au-we-yaw mes-saw-wendau mau-we-ye-gay ke-go andaw- nedji.

THE CREED.

Men da-bwe-taw-waw Pa-zhe-go maw-nito we-osse-mind, me-zo-day ke-go nay-taw-we-tod, kaw-ge-zhe-tod wau-kwee aw-ke kanie. Men day-bwe-taw- we-mon kaice ogwisson paw-ye-zhe-go-nedjin Jesus Krist te-bay-ne-me- nong. We-ne-zhe-she-nedjin maw-niton o-ge-aw-neshe-naw-bay-we-egoun, Mari-yon kaw-gaw-ge we-nedjin oge-ne-ge-egoun. Ke-go-daw-ge-to me-gwaw o-ge-maw-wit Ponce Pila-tawn, ke-baw-daw-kaw-ko-wou tche-baw-yaw-te- gong, ke-ne-bon ke-naw-gwo-wau kauie au-naw-maw-kaw-mig ke-e-zhaw, waw- ne-so-ke-zhe-te-nig Ke-au-be-tchi-baw. Waw-kwing ke-e-zhaw, naw-maw- daw-be o-day-baw-ne-we-kaw-ning ke-zle-maw-niton way-osse me-medjin me- zo-day ke-go nay tau-we-to-nedjin me-dawst waw-de-be ke-be-ondji-bawd, tche-be-te-baw-ko-nod pay-maw-de-ze-nedjin, nay-bo-nedjin kauie. Men day-bwe-taw-waw Way-ne-zhe-shed maw-nito, men day-bwe-tawn kitche-two kaw-to-lic au-naw-me-a-we-gaw-mig, kay-tchi-two-wendaw-go-ze-djig o-we- do-ko-daw-de-we-ne-wau paw-taw-do-wene kawss-au-maw-gay-win aw-bedji- baw-win ezhe-owe-yossing kaw-go-ne pe-maw-de-se-win. Aw-pe-lege.

THE LORD'S PRAYER.

Nossinaw wau-kwing e-be-you au-pe-gwish ke-tchi-twaw-wend-oming ke-daw- no-zo-win, au-pe-gish pe-daw-gwe-she-no-maw-gok ke-do-gimaw-o-win, ena- daw-mon au-pe-gish ezhe-wa-bawk, ti-bish-wau-kwing mego kauie au-king.

Me-zhe-she-nong nongo au-gi-zhe-gawk nin baw-kwe-zhe-gaw-ne-me-naw menik e-you-yong en-daw-so ke-zhe-gok. Po-ne-ge-tay-taw-we-shi-nong kauie kaw-nish ki-e-nange te-bish-kon ezhe-pone-ge-day-taw-wou-ge-dwaw kaw-neshke-e-yo-mendjig, ke-go kauie ezhe-we-zhe-she-kong-gay kaw-gwe ti-bandji-gay-we-ning, au-tchi-tchaw-yo-ing dansh etaw eni-naw-maw-we- she-nong maw-tchaw-go-e-wish. Ken maw-ke-daw-yon o-ge-maw-owen, mawsh- kaw-we-se-win kauie pe-she-gain-daw-go-se-win, kaw-ge-gay-kow-mig au- pe-nay dash kau-e-go kaw-ge-nig. Amen.

GRAMMAR OF THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA LANGUAGE.

NOUNS.

Common nouns in the Ottawa and Chippewa language are divided into two cla.s.ses, animate and inanimate. Animate nouns are those which signify living objects or objects supposed to have life, as persons, animals and plants. Inanimate nouns signify objects without life.

A third form of nouns is derived from these two cla.s.ses, called diminutive nouns. These are formed by the termination "ens" or "na"

placed upon other nouns.

The plural of animate nouns is usually formed by adding the syllable "wog" to the singular; if the word ends in a vowel, only the letter "g"

is added; and sometimes the syllables "yog," "ag," or "og."

All words are p.r.o.nounced with accent on the last syllable.

Sing. Pl. Eng.

Pe-nay, Pe-nay-wog, Partridge.

Aw-dje-djawk, Aw-dje-djaw-wog, Crane.

Waw-mawsh-kay-she, Waw-mawsh-kay-she-wog, Deer.

Waw-goosh, Waw-goosh-og, Fox.

Pezhe-kee, Pezhe-kee-wog, Cattle.

Pezhe-keens, (dim.) Pezhe-keens-og, Calf.

Aw-ni-moush, Aw-ni-moush-og, Dog.

Aw-ni-mouns, (dim.), Aw-ni-mouns-og, Puppy.

The plural of inanimate nouns usually terminates in an, en, on, or n.

Sing. Pl. Eng.

We-ok-won, We-ok-won-an, Hat.

Wig-wom, Wig-wom-an, House.

Mo-ke-sin, Mo-ke-sin-an, Shoe.

Maw-kok, Maw-kok-on, Box.

Maw-kok-ons, (dim.), Maw-kok-on-son, Small box.

Tchi-mawn, Tchi-mawn-an, Boat.

Tchi-maw-nes, (dim.), Tchi maw-nes-on, Small boat.

Nouns have three cases, nominative, locative and objective. The locative case denotes the relation usually expressed in English by the use of a preposition, or by the genitive, dative and ablative in Latin.

Nom. Aw-kick, Kettle.

Loc. Aw-kick-ong, In the kettle.

Obj. E-naw-bin aw-kick-ong, Do look in the kettle.

This relation can be expressed by the word "pin-je," as "Pin-je aw- kick,"--in the kettle; "E-naw-bin pin-je aw-kick,"--do look in the kettle; but this form is seldom used. It is employed only for great emphasis or formality.

The locative termination is "ong," "eng," or "ing."

The objective case is like the nominative when the subject is in the 1st or 2d person, but when the subject is in the 3d person the object takes the termination "won."

Example of locative and objective cases: Chicago is derived from she- gog-ong, the locative case of the Ottawa word she-gog, meaning skunk; nominative, she-gog; locative, she-gog-ong; objective, she-gog or she- gog-won.

Locative case-- She-gog-ong ne-de-zhaw, I am going to Chicago.

She-gog-ong ne-do-je-baw, I come from Chicago.

She-gog-ong e-zhawn, Go to Chicago.

Objective case-- 1st p.--She-gog ne-ne-saw, I kill the skunk.

2d p.--She-gog ke-ne-saw, You kill the skunk.

3d p.--She-gog-won o-ne-sawn, He kills the skunk.

Gender is distinguished by the word "quay," either prefixed or added to nouns, to indicate the feminine.

Aw-ne-ne, pl. wog; Man. Aw-quay, pl. wog; Woman.

Aw-nish-naw-bay; Indian man. Aw-nesh-naw-bay-quay; I. woman.

Osh-kee-naw-way; Young man. Osh-kee-ne-ge-quay; Y. woman.

Que-we-zayns, pl. og; Boy. Quay-zayns, pl. og; Girl.

Aw-yaw-bay-pe-zhe-kee; Bull. Quay-pe-zhe-kee; Cow.

Proper names always form the feminine by adding "quay."

Ce-naw-day; Irishman. Ce-naw-day-quay; Irishwoman.

Some genders are irregular.

Aw-ke-wa-zee; Old man. Me-de-mo-gay; Old woman.

Aw-be-non-tchi, an infant, has no distinction of gender.

Os-see-maw, pl. g; Father. O-gaw-shi-maw, pl. g; Mother.

Me-kaw-ne-see-maw; Brother. O-me-say-e-maw; Sister.

O-me-shaw-mes-se-maw; Gr.father. O-kee-mes-se-maw; Grandmother.